Season for the record books

Stockton’s season didn’t end the way it wanted, but the year still ended with remarkable results. The Blackhawks finished 2012 as one of the top offenses in IHSA history.

By Joey Baskerville

Journal Standard

By Joey Baskerville

Posted Nov. 23, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 23, 2012 at 10:23 PM

By Joey Baskerville

Posted Nov. 23, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 23, 2012 at 10:23 PM

Champaign. Ill.

Stockton’s season didn’t end the way it wanted, but the year still ended with remarkable results.

The Blackhawks finished 2012 as one of the top offenses in IHSA history.

Stockton entered Friday’s state championship game against Maroa-Forsyth already in the top 10 all-time in points scored in a season and after a 24-point third-quarter surge, the Blackhawks finished with a third-best 686 points.

The total is just one point shy of Aledo’s 687, which is second all-time.

Stockton’s scoring average dropped from 50.9 points per game to 49 points even for the 2012 season.

Stockton had a chance to finish in the Top 4 all-time but finished tied for ninth with Greenfield and Olney (East Richland). Stockton also ended Friday’s game with 227 total yards of offense, which put the Blackhawks total for the season at 5912, which is 12th all-time.

The run game was Stockton’s bread and butter and the Blackhawks rushing offense was almost second to none. Friday, Stockton rumbled for 218, which upped its total to 5466 for the season which is the second-most all time. Joliet Catholic’s 6609 yards is the most ever.

And finally, as a team Stockton finished with 80 rushing TDs this season, according to the team’s MaxPreps website. Should that total become official, that mark will be second all-time.

Running back TJ Knutson credited the offensive line for the team’s success as well as the comeback in the third quarter to give Stockton a chance to win.

“This season’s been great and our line has just been awesome,” Knutson said. “They’ve gotten us so many holes and getting us to where we were.

“We had three running backs over 1000 yards and they have a big impact on that.”

Knutson finished his senior season with 2467 yards, which is 19th all-time. Dakota’s Jake Apple in 2011 racked up 2574 which is 18th all-time.

Knutson also collected 38 rushing TDs for the season and is tied for 13th all time.

But all the accomplishments Stockton had in 2012 served as best as consolation to finishing the year as the state-runner up against the Trojans.

“The records are what they are,” Stockton coach Chris Thornton said. “They’re nice and it’ll be nice to kids when they get a little bit older.

“But ultimately, you’re disappointed because those records don’t quite mean as much as that state championship.

"But I do know this. We came down here in ‘04 with coach (Brad) Fox came with a second-place finish then and once these guys get a week or so away from it and really enjoy this season, that they’re going to be proud of themselves.”